First 2018 Mustang Rocks The Rollers With 1,000+ Horsepower

Terry “Beefcake” Reeves didn’t waste any time modding his 2018 Mustang. Fresh off the dealer lot, this second-gen S550 received a few carefully chosen mods and became the first of its kind to run in the 10-second zone. Now that same car was fortified and boosted to become the first to produce over 1,000 horsepower at the rear wheels.

We are really trying to get to that 8-second zone. — Terry “Beefcake” Reeves

“We started with a Nitrous Outlet nozzle system along with some Weld wheels and the Steeda Stop the Hop kit, Steeda drag springs, and some Viking shocks along with DSS halfshafts, and DSS driveshaft,” Terry said.

Terry “Beefcake” Reeves of Team Beefcake Racing pulled off another first-time feat with his 2018 Mustang GT. It was the first of the latest Mustangs to run in the 10-second zone and now it is the first to produce over 1,000 horsepower at the rear wheels. (Photo Credit: Terry “Beefcake” Reeves)

To make that next big jump, Terry ordered a rugged engine from MMR and one of Vortech’s billet YSi superchargers, which fits in the company’s 2018 Mustang bracketry. With plenty of supporting hardware (see sidebar) installed by Finish Line Performance, the combo just needed a proper calibration to bring it all together.

“Lund Racing went to work on the tune and after six revisions — on a completely new platform, with a supercharger they hadn’t tuned on an ’18, and a fuel system completely different than the previous Fore systems — Jon Lund Jr. had us making four-digit numbers on the dyno!” Terry enthused. “This was run in Sixth gear, not Seventh. The unfortunate thing is, the trans doesn’t appear to be super-happy in Seventh gear. She is pushing through the trans (not the converter) in Seventh, while Sixth gear is holding like a champ so far, but you have another shaft kicking in on Seventh gear and at just over 800 wheel she starts to slip.”

Terry added a built MMR engine, a billet Vortech YSi supercharger, a Fore Innovations fuel system, Kooks long-tube headers and more to take his 2018 Mustang to the four-digit level.

Running 22 pounds of Vortech boost and burning an ample volume of E85, the new combo cracked the four-digit barrier running just boost.

“We finished in Sixth gear at 1,014 horsepower and 774 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels,” he said. “We figured that’s a good starting spot to get the car on the track and see what she can do. We are really trying to get to that 8-second zone. Then it will be time to work on transmission upgrades!”

Watch that power climb. That’s what a built Gen 3 Coyote can do with 22 pounds of Vortech boost and a steady supply of E85. With six degrees less timing in the combo, Terry’s 2018 is making 75 more horsepower and lb-ft of torque at 4,500 RPM than his 2015 Mustang did with a similar setup.

In the end, the vaunted 10R80 transmission is the X-factor in the next step for this car. While this transmission performs well on cars with modest modifications, it remains to be seen how the new auto will handle huge power.

“I’d love to see a high 8 out of the combo, but that really will be dictated by the transmission, as we have the engine and chassis dialed in,” Terry added.

It sounds like this 2018 Mustang might yet have another first up its sleeved block, so stay tuned.

About the author

Steve Turner

Steve Turner brings decades of passion and knowledge in the world of Ford performance, having covered it for over 20 years. From the swan song of the Fox Mustang to the birth of the Coyote, Steve had a front-row seat.